BSW Instructor Orientation

The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers guides the profession and helps to determine how to make decisions when faced with ethical dilemmas.

When VCU B.S.W. students begin the Professional Practice Curriculum as juniors, they take a professional oath to uphold the 6 ethical principles from the Code of Ethics in their social work practice.

Ethical Principles
Value: Service Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.
Value: Social Justice Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.
Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
Value: Importance of Human Relationships Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.
Value: Integrity Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.
Value: Competence Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

The VCU Honor Code holds the entire VCU community accountable to one another and works to maintain the integrity of the university. It also provides a fair, consistent, and confidential process to investigate suspected violations. Read about the Honor System & Standards of Academic Conduct from the Office of Academic Integrity.

• If you suspect that a student has violated our Honor Code, it is your obligation to file a report so that a neutral third party may assess the situation.
• If you make a report to the Office of Academic Integrity, please remember two things:
  1. Filing a report is not a definitive judgment that a student violated the honor code. By submitting a report, you are saying that you noticed something and would like a third party to review the situation.
  2. The reporting process is confidential to protect the student's right to due process. Please omit the student's name if you need to consult with someone about the situation.

Here is the Honor Code Violation Reporting Form. Note: You must log into your VCU account to view.

• Out of transparency, most instructors inform the student that they are making a report. However, you are not required to do so. Those informing the student may want to use or modify the following Report Template for Honor Code Violations. Note: You must log into your VCU account to view.
• Many students will choose to inform their advisor as part of their support team.

If you have questions about whether you should report something or not, please contact the program director or assistant program director for guidance.

Final note: It can be disheartening to find out that a student has violated the honor code. However, put into perspective, we understand that it is normal for students to engage in a variety of behaviors based on where they are in their own lives. These decisions are not always wise, but they are also not personal to us as educators. We must think about the integrity of the entire BSW program. And we must also remember that in working with students, we are helping model behaviors for them so that when they enter practice, they are able to act in an ethical and appropriate manner.

The technical standards are a school-wide tool used to set appropriate expectations and help students develop their professional skills. They establish minimum levels of capacity needed to perform certain essential functions of social work. Read here about the Technical Standards and Essential Functions for the VCU School of Social Work (SSW). 

• During orientation, students are introduced to the technical standards. Academic advisors review these standards and then have students complete a form to signify that they understand and will abide by these standards.
• As a faculty member, if you notice students violating these technical standards, it is important that you intervene so that they understand that their behavior is not appropriate. Then, it is important for you to help them think about the ways in which they may demonstrate more positive behaviors.
• If you feel that a student has violated the technical standards or if you have questions about what to do to address the specific behavior(s), please contact the program director or assistant program director.

Any communication that you have about a student could be accessed via subpoena. As faculty and higher education administrators, we are guided by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). **To maintain appropriate communication, always assume that any email you write about a student will be read by that student.**

This act mandates that student records are private. Review the following website to learn about FERPA and its relevance to your role as a faculty member: Student Privacy (FERPA).

All digital content you create should follow basic accessibility rules to help ensure that every student can access the material. 

Learn more about digital accessibility requirements by enrolling in the course Digital Accessibility for Faculty.

Read VCU's stance on digital accessibility and related policies.

Students needing additional accommodations and disability-related services, must register through the Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (SAEO) office. Learn more about SAEO.

Important Reminders

Students can register with SAEO at any time and can provide their letters at any point during the semester.  Accommodations are not retroactive. Students are entitled to accommodations only after they share their letters with their instructors.  Faculty are required to apply accommodations as written. If you have any questions, reach out to the BSW Program Director and the student's SAEO case manager listed in their accommodation letter.

SAEO Resources for Faculty
Faculty FAQs Viewing Accommodation Letters Common Accommodation Questions Need additional help? SAEO also offers additional training for faculty through workshops and consultations. Request Training or Consultation

 

Every faculty member has an obligation to submit grades by the university due date. This is critical because:

• Students need to know whether they must alter their curriculum plan based on the grades earned. This may have an impact on financial aid.
• Additionally, if the student’s grade is not posted, the university may unenroll them from future classes.
• At the end of each semester, the program director will send an email with instructions regarding when and how to submit grades, and the process for assigning incomplete grades.

Issuing Incomplete (I) Grades

Most students complete the semester without significant difficulty. In rare cases, a student may experience an extenuating circumstance near the end of the term that prevents completion of their final assignments. When this occurs, assigning an incomplete (I) grade may be appropriate. There is a process to review and issue an incomplete grade, so please do not guarantee any student an incomplete.

When an Incomplete is Appropriate

Incomplete grades should be used sparingly and only when:

• • The student has consistently kept up with coursework throughout the semester, and
  • An extenuating circumstance occurs near the end of the term that prevents completion of the final assignments.

Examples of extenuating circumstances include:

• • Death of a close family member
  • Student hospitalization

An incomplete is not intended to address poor time management or ongoing academic challenges. Its purpose is to provide limited additional time for a strong student to complete remaining work.

BSW Program Approval

The BSW program must approve all requests for incompletes before they are issued. Incomplete grade requests will not be approved for assignments that were due before the withdrawal date.

Grading Deadline

When an incomplete is assigned:

• • All remaining work must be graded, and
  • The final letter grade must be posted no later than 14 days into the next semester.

Failure to post the grade by this deadline may result in the University dropping the student from their courses.

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How to Issue an Incomplete (I) Grade

1. Request Approval

Before issuing an incomplete grade, contact the Program Director (Stephanie Odera) or Assistant Program Director (Allison Ryals). All incompletes require approval to ensure appropriateness and documentation for program records. 

You will be asked to provide:

• • The extenuating circumstance
  • The date the student notified you, preferably with documentation (i.e., email or Canvas message)
  • The student’s academic performance prior to the circumstance (e.g., on-time submissions)
  • The remaining assignments to be completed. **Incompletes will not be approved for assignments due before the withdrawal date.

2. Complete Required Documentation

If approved, the BSW Program will notify you and the student and send a DocuSign form requesting:

• • Student name, email, and V#
  • Semester/year and course section
  • Advisor name and email
  • Reason for the incomplete
  • Outstanding coursework
  • Deadline for completion

3. Grade Submission

Once the student submits the remaining work, you are responsible for grading the assignments and submitting the final letter grade before the deadline.

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FAQs
How do students submit work after the semester ends? To allow student access to your Canvas course content after the semester, you must adjust your course availability dates in the Canvas settings. Without this change, students will not be able to turn in assignments after the final grades deadline.
How do I grade assignments after the course ends? You must extend the grading period in Canvas: Go to your course homepage in Canvas Go to Course Settings (in left navigation menu) Select Course Details (tab at top of page) Scroll down to Grading Periods Select "Add Grading Period" and name the new grading period (e.g., “After Course End”) Set the start and end dates beyond the course end date Save changes This ensures you can continue grading after the term concludes.
How is the incomplete changed to a final grade? After the incomplete is approved, the Assistant Program Director or BSW Program Coordinator will send you a Change of Grade form. You are responsible for submitting the grade change before the deadline.